While I Wait
by Dreamer's Avenue
Summary: As Sora and Riku embark on another heroic journey, Kairi is left all alone back on Destiny Islands.  Now she must once again, wait for their return. She discovers things about herself she didn't know and has her own journey to find out who she really is.
1. Chapters 1 through 17

Chapter 1 ~Kairi~

For once I finally believed that this whole journey was over. I thought that our lives would return to the way they were before the three of us friends were torn apart from our homes, our families, and each other. I guess a hero's job is never done. I spent a little more than a year waiting for him to return. And now that he's finally returned home, he has to leave again.

The feelings of despair and loneliness slowly come back to me knowing that I'll be without him after I just got him back. I guess that's life for you. I should be happy, the person that I love is a hero…he saved all of the worlds, but I still can't shake this feeling that this is never going to end.

He is to be leaving in a few days, out on a journey of the unknown. I hope that he returns safely.

I can't help but feel…

alone.

I love Sora so much that it hurts to think that I could easily lose him forever. I almost lost him once when he tried to save me, and it pains me to think that I could lose him again.

What's wrong with me? I should be excited for them... but it makes me upset knowing that Sora and Riku can go but I can't. Is it because I'm a girl, or the fact that I can't wield a Keyblade as easily as they can? Sora says that he just doesn't want me to get hurt and that the journey could be very dangerous; but he doesn't understand that I want to go on a journey of my own too.

The closest thing I had to an adventure was getting captured by brainwashed Riku, and Getting kidnapped and held captive by Organization XIII. I wanted a real adventure, where I could travel to worlds that seldom got to visit. I want to get off of this island. Don't get me wrong I love Destiny Islands, but I just want to be free from here for once.

I don't remember anything about my life before I washed up on Destiny Islands, where Sora found me on the shore. I wonder what kind of person I was, what kind of life I had, and what world I came from.

Why can't I remember? I feel so stupid. How can I forget every thing about my past before I ended up on this island? There has to be some reason why I lost my memories of my childhood home. Memories don't just disappear on their own.

And I can't help but wonder, how I got into here, how did I end up in the ocean like that?

These are things that I would like to find out.

But things I may never know...

Chapter 2 ~Kairi~

Tomorrow was the day that Sora and Riku were supposed to set off on their journey to save the worlds again, leaving me to stay here and do nothing until they returned.

No one asked me if I was okay, no one asked will you miss us while we are away. I thought that it was pretty obvious that I was depressed. It only made me feel worse with them not showing the slightest bit of sympathy towards me.

I wondered if they would miss me, the same way I would miss them. Or if they would just be caught up in their adventure and totally exclude me from their thoughts.

Night was near and I dreaded what was soon to come. For once in my life I didn't want the sun to rise. I wanted this night to last forever...but I knew that dawn must come.

I couldn't hide my emotions any longer as I sat on the beach watching the twinkling stars in the sky, with their radiant glow. I knew that tomorrow Sora would be out there among one of those thousands of shining stars. Warm tears streamed down my face, little crystal teardrops that seemed alien to me. It had been so long since the last time that I actually cried. I always felt sad when Sora and Riku weren't around, but I never had the strength to cry.

Only a few long moments later Sora walked up quietly behind me, and sat next to me on the warm sand. The ocean tide just barely touching my bare feet, the water surprisingly warm. "I'm so sorry for leaving you again Kairi, I...I...I just have to go." I could hear the pain and regret in his voice.

"I know you have to go. But..." I couldn't finish, I didn't want to finish that sentence, because if I did, It would have made me fall deeper in to despair than I already was.

"I'll be back soon, I promise." He said this so confidently, but I could still sense a bit of sorrow in his voice. As if he wasn't so sure of what he had just said.

"It...it just hurts not to be with you...I feel so lost, so lonely." I realized to late that I had just said what I was thinking in my head. I looked up at him to see his reaction. His beautiful blue eyes shined so brilliantly in the moonlight. I cried harder knowing that this may be the last night I'll ever see him again.

"I know." He said sadly, "It hurts me too. Just thinking of not being with you tears me apart." He looked as if he was going to cry as well. I couldn't stop crying, tears flowing down my cheeks more like a river now than a stream. He put a hand on the side of my face stroking my hair gently. He turned my head so that I was facing him. "Please don't cry over me. Please don't be sad...I'll be back soon. Hopefully this will all be over, and we can spend every minute of every day together."

He looked at me so sincerely, It made my Heart ache. Then he leaned closer to me, and kissed me gently, so sweetly, I wondered why he was being so delicate with me. It was like I was a fragile thing that could easily be broken. I kissed him back, not as gently as he had, He ran his fingers through my hair, and I put my arms around him, I had never felt so alive in my life. This was our first kiss, and I knew that It could very well be our last.

Chapter 3 ~Sora~

I couldn't bare to see her cry anymore, I already had to deal with the fact that I wouldn't see her for who knows how long, and now I feel even worse knowing that I'm not the only one that is going to be effected by it.

I love her so much that the thought of losing her hurt worse than actually leaving her. I tried not to think about it, so I put my arms around her and whispered in her ear "It's going to be alright, remember what you told me...'No matter where you go, I'm always with you.' I'm always with you Kairi. No matter what happens where we are, I'll be there with you."

The tide was getting lower and we lay down on the warm sand. We just laid there not saying anymore. We were to busy gazing at all of the magnificent stars illuminating the night sky.

Chapter 4 ~Sora~

We must have fallen asleep under the blanket of stars, because the first thing I heard when I was close to being awake was the gentle sound of waves rolling to the shore. I opened my eyes to see Kairi curled up next to me still asleep. She looked so beautiful in the warm, radiant glow of the sun. The next thing I heard though wasn't so relaxing...

"Sora WAKE UP!" it was Riku, "I can't believe you guys fell asleep out here! What were you guys doing out here anyway?" I knew exactly what he meant by that, which made me blush.

"It's not what you think idiot! Don't talk so loud you'll wake up Kairi." I didn't want here to wake up yet, but then I didn't want to have to leave, without her not even knowing I had gone. But she needed all the sleep she could get after being so emotionally worn out yesterday. Why is saying goodbye the hardest thing to do?

"Oh, I'm sorry, lover boy. I'll just leave you two alone. But oh, wait..." finally he talked a little more quietly. Well...I spoke do soon. "WE have somewhere we need to be in a couple of hours!" This time he was yelling. Kairi tossed and turned a bit, but never really woke up. Thank goodness.

"Stop it," I said. "just let her sleep for a little bit longer." Now I was upset.

"Sure, sure." he said, walking away. He left without another word. Then it was just me and Kairi, and no one else. It was like the rest of the world didn't exist. But I knew that soon, she would have to wake up and I would have to leave...

Chapter 5 ~Riku~

They obviously wanted to be alone (well Sora did, considering Kairi wasn't even awake.) But I guess I can't blame him for wanting to spend as much time as possible with the girl he loves. We may never return here again. Sora just feels too much, it seems that he feels what other people are feeling. I can remember that time when we were little kids...Sora felt that someone out there in one of the worlds we sad. I don't know where they were or how he knew but he DID. Well that's Sora for you.

I looked back to see that he hadn't so much as even sit up in the sand. He just lay there like a lump on a log. Sora...that lazy bum.

And sometimes I think the thinks about others too much. I mean Kairi's gonna have to wake up sometime, and we are supposed to leave in a few hours, what does he plan on doing.

Maybe...maybe he just wants to be with her, you know? What am I doing, I'm practically talking to myself, only in my head. I have other things to be worried about...

Chapter 6 ~Kairi~

I woke up finally from surprisingly the best sleep I'd ever had. The first thing that I saw was Sora lying next to me. I jumped slightly. All he did was smile and say "Finally you're awake." He looked at me sincerely, and put his hand on the side of my face, gently stroking my hair.

We must have fallen asleep on the beach last night. I'm surprised the tide was so low, It was several feet away from us, even now.

Now I understood why I had slept so soundly. I had Sora next to me the whole time. It all made sense now...

"When do you have to leave?" I asked, as I sat up.

"In about an hour." he replied as he helped me to my feet.

I didn't want him to leave, it as simple as that. I felt the emptiness creeping up on me again, knowing that it was almost time to say goodbye. I fought the tears that began to well up in my eyes.

Be strong...I told myself be strong.

Chapter 7 ~Kairi~

This is what I was worried about most...things left unsaid that needed to be said. This is because there is a chance that they won't be coming back.

I had to say what was needed to be said, something that Sora may already know but I haven't said aloud to him.

Those three words that everyone, someday, wants to hear...

Chapter 8 ~Kairi~

"Well... I guess this is goodbye for now Kairi. I'll going to miss you. Just don't get yourself captured." Riku said winking at me.

"I'll try my best." I said winking back. "I'll miss you too Riku."

I turned to Sora. He was several feet away. I ran to him, he embraced me, hugging me tightly. "I don't want you to go." I said, tears streaming down my face.

"I know. I don't want to leave either, but I have to." He sounded just as sad as I looked.

"I know you do." I said, miserably. I pulled away from him slightly. I just had to say it, I just had to...here it goes... "Sora...there's something I need to tell you. I...I..I love you Sora." I cried even harder, a mixture of emotions that was very strange to me. Sadness, because of our parting, and happiness for what I had just said.

After all the years that I have known Sora, I had never had the courage to tell him what I had just told him. I have loved him ever since the day that he found me washed up on the shore of the islands. He was always so kind and gentle, and he still is. Even though at times he doesn't seem like he cares about some things, but I know that he really does care.

He hugged me again, more tightly. Then, there was a long pause. He didn't say anything for a moment, and my Heart sank. But then, he finally said. "I love you too Kairi...I'm sorry it's taken me so long to say it but I do; ever since I found you on the shore when we were kids. You were so beautiful; I knew that there was a reason why you ended up on our island." I looked up at him and he was crying too now. I hadn't seen him cry since we were small. This is something you don't see everyday. I felt better now about him leaving. And suddenly,...I didn't feel alone anymore.

Chapter 9 ~Riku~

Standing here, ready to leave and them all acting so lovey dovey, just made me feel like a third wheel.

I couldn't even look at them, it was just too mushy. So I turned away to give them some privacy, but no matter what I did, even if I couldn't see them...I could still hear them.

I didn't even get a hug...not that I wanted one, but I know that all we will ever be is just friends.

I know that I've done some bad things in the past and made some terrible decisions that affected not just me, but everyone around me. And that I captured Kairi when her Heart was separated from her. But...I don't know.

I wonder if she remembers that...I mean what happened when she was captured, or if she just remembers what happened after her Heart was returned to her. I hope she isn't still mad at me about that if she does remember, I mean, that was more than a year ago, almost two. She must have gotten over that already. Gosh! I really need to stop thinking about this.

I turned back around and saw them still talking. I walked past them, "Come on loverboy. We have a place we need to be soon, hurry it up." No answer. "I said...HURRY UP!" Still no answer. I knew that he could hear me, but he was too busy to reply.

I gave up. I kept walking and only seconds later Chip and Dale showed up right on time to pick us up in their Gummiship.

Now he had no choice but to say goodbye. Then all of the romantic junk will stop for a little while at least.

Chapter 10 ~Sora~

I can't really believe it is time to go now. I wish I didn't...but there are tons of things in life that we don't want to do, but have to. It's my duty, my job to protect the worlds from falling to darkness.

The only thing that keeps me here is...Kairi.

Well...and Riku too, but I mean I love Kairi, and I'm ready to go to her no matter where she is. I'd do anything for her. Riku too.

But I'm not leaving Riku. Kairi is the one who always gets left behind. It's nothing personal, but...I can't stand the fact that she could easily get hurt. I couldn't live with myself if something bad happened to her.

We said our goodbyes, tears flowing from her eyes like a river. I'd never seen her cry so much in my life. She occasionally cried when she was really really sad...but not like this.

I turned away and walked to the Gummiship, Riku was already onboard. The doors closed and our journey began...

Chapter 11 ~Kairi~

So that was it...they are gone now. I may never see them again, but then again maybe they'll be home soon.

I hope so.

I believe in you both.

So now what am I going to do now that they're gone?

I want to have an adventure of my own. By myself. But...I don't even know how to get off this island!

"You seek a way off this island?"

It sounded as if this mysterious voice was inside my head rather than behind me. "Who's there?" I said. Despite my efforts to make my voice loud enough for whomever it was to hear, my voice was barely audible. That didn't matter...he heard me.

"I am only here to help you."

"Help me to get off of this island? That's not what I really want."

"I am aware of that. You wish to have an adventure of your own."

"Yes, that's correct." I didn't want to say too much, I had no idea who I was talking to. But somehow the voice sounded somewhat familiar. I couldn't match a face to the voice though.

"Do you wish to know who you really are? Where you came from and why you are here on this pitiful island? If so then I will show you the way."

Just then a Corridor appeared in front of me. I hesitated, should I really go through? What if it was a trick, could the voice really be trusted. It sounded so familiar...not sinister but not friendly either. "Do you wish to know the truth?"

"Yes." I answered. I had made my decision. This was my chance for an adventure, I mean a real adventure. It was something to do while I wait for Sora and Riku to return home.

It was time to have fun by myself for once, to live a little. I needed to escape before I drove my self crazy.

I took a deep breath and stepped into the Corridor, the dark corridor to a world unknown...

Chapter 12 ~Sora~

We had arrived at Yen Sid's tower at last. The King informed us in this letter that he had a special mission for us.

Gosh, I hope that Kairi's alright. I mean, it can get really boring really quickly when you are all by yourself on that island. All that counts is that she is home...and she is safe.

Chapter 13 ~Kairi~

Darkness. Nothing but darkness. It was all I could see. Or maybe I was not seeing darkness, maybe it was just nothing...I was seeing nothing.

I pushed on, it was too late to turn back now. I didn't even turn around; I just kept moving. I wouldn't stop...I couldn't. I desperately want to know who I really am...where I came from.

The lonliness set in again. I didn't know where I was, dead maybe, and I had no one...and again I was...

alone.

Chapter 14 ~Riku~

Sora was just staring out into space when we arrived at Yen Sid's tower. We had only been away from home a few hours and he looked more depressed than I had ever seen him.

It didn't seem like he was all there, you know? Like his mind was somewhere else, and that his body was unable to follow.

He hadn't spoken to me the entire trip here. I kind of feel bad about it now, that I didn't ask him if he was alright. But...I already knew the answer to that question...

no.

Chapter 15 ~Kairi~

Finally in the cold darkness that I was in, in this corridor, I felt a sudden, faint warmth. Then I found it's source.

An immensely bright light far off in the distance. It seemed so far away.

Chapter 16 ~King Mickey~

They were here. Finally.

I didn't exactly know how to tell Sora that he wouldn't quite be himself if it weren't for Ventus' Heart merging with his.

I wonder what would happen if Ventus awakens, what will happen to Sora. Will the separation damage Sora's Heart, Like Vanitas was separated from Ventus' Heart? Gosh, I hope not.

I hope that it doesn't have to end that way. I hope that they can coexist without one being lost forever.

Gosh, I don't know how I'm going to tell him, but I just gotta. He has every right to know that it is a possibility that he will not return home from his journey.

Chapter 17 ~Kairi~

I felt like I had been walking for years, and maybe I had; but I finally found the way out.

I walked into the light, not afraid of what lurked beyond it. The light was warm, inviting. It beckoned me to pass through it. So I did.

"Are you okay miss?"

I opened my eyes and saw that I was on the ground. I must have passed out, after I entered the light. I looked around; I seemed to be in a place that I don't recall ever seeing, but It seemed so familiar.

There was a man standing in front of me. He had a scar on his face right in between his eyes. It was probably from fighting Heartless.

"Ye...yes." I replied, my voice coming out more soft than I intended it.

"Thank goodness." he replied, then continued. "You aren't from here are you? I've never seen you before...what's your name?"

"Kairi. What's yours?"

"Oh, I'm sorry where are my manners? I'm Leon." He helped me up, I was suprised to find it hard to stand. What had hapend to me when I was walking through the Corridor?

"Come on. Follow me." I followed.

We walked through the streets. I stumbled a little every now and then. I was trying to keep up with him, but he was fast. He led me to a house, smaller than the rest of the neighboring buildings.

"Come on in." He said hospitibly.

He opened the door, so I stepped inside. There was junk everywhere, and tons of things that I had no idea what they were.

Then I knew. I was in another world. I had made it. Finally off of the islands. I was...

free.

Chapter 18 ~Yen Sid~


	2. Chapters 18 through 27

Chapter 18 ~Yen Sid~

Xehanort will soon be returning soon not that both halves of him will be rejoined together in darkness. His Heartless, Ansem, his Heart that was lost; and his Nobody, Xemnas, his body that was left behind.

These boys have their work cut out for them. This journey won't be an easy one like their last ones.

And now they know the dangers of their journey. They know that they may never return. Sora knows that once he releases Ventus' Heart from his, that it may destroy his Heart. But he knows that it is what he must do.

I hope that it isn't so. I hope that they can be successfully separated, with minimal damage.

Good luck Sora, and Riku.

Chapter 19 ~Sora~

So that's why I felt someone out there was sad. It was Ventus, and I let him take refuge in my Heart. I was only four back then when it happened.

Master Yen Sid and The King said that it may be possible that my Heart will shatter when Ventus separates from my body. That I may be lost forever, and we won't be able to coexist together.

I hope that they are wrong, I want to free him, but I don't know how. I have to free him. I am who I am because of him. I can't let him suffer any longer.

_But for Kairi's sake, please let me live through this._

Chapter 20 ~Kairi~

"Where am I?" I asked.

"Why you're in Merlin's house. He's a wizard, he's very wise but a bit silly."

I giggled at his remark. Then I saw Merlin and three other faces that I didn't know but seemed familiar. "This is Yuffie, Aerith, and Cid." He turned to face them now. "And this is Kairi." He gestured me so it only seemed appropriate to greet them.

"Nice to meet you." Then Aerith asked me the question that I was surprised Leon didn't ask me earlier.

"So, what world do you come from?"

"Huh? Oh...how did you know I'm not from here."

"Just a guess. You look a bit lost, like you don't know where you are."

"Yes, actually I'm not from this world, I live on Destiny Islands, I don't know exactly how far that is from here in...uh..."

"Radiant Garden." she finished for me.

"Right yes Radiant Garden. Hey, what a pretty name for a city."

"It is isn't it, that is the name it was called a long time ago, this world was full of light and happiness. But then this world was destroyed by darkness, and it was given a new name, Hollow Bastion. Then the world was saved by a young Keyblade wielder, but we still had problems with Heartless. Only recently was it that Sora returned to restore the light in this world. And so it was given back it's original name, Radiant Garden."

"Wow!" The story was amazing. "Wait. Did you say Sora? You all know Sora?"

"Why of course, he is our friend, and he saved us all." She looked at me in amazement. "How do you know him?"

"He's my best friend, he lives on the same islands as me."

"Oh that makes sense." Yuffie joined in the conversation. "Now I remember him mentioning you and his other friend..."

"Riku." I finished.

"Ah, yes that was it, Riku." She paused and then continued. "Yeah, he wouldn't shut up about you two." She winked at me, I could tell that she was a very spunky girl.

"Really?"

"You betcha!"

"So..." Aerith began, "what brings you here so far away from home?"

"Well...I know it sounds weird but, I heard this voice and it told me to follow it, and it led me here. He asked me if I wanted to know who I really am and why I ended up on Destiny Islands."

"What do you mean 'ended up'?" Cid said.

"Well, I wasn't born on the islands you see...one day I just washed up on the shore about ten years ago. Sora found me on the beach, and I can't remember anything from before. The oldest memory that I have is when Sora woke me up and rescued me from drowning in the ocean."

"Wow, that's amazing. Quite a story." Yuffie said eyes wide with astonishment.

"But I don't know what I'm supposed to be looking for exactly, or where to start looking."

"I know you'll find out who you are, you just have to have faith." Aerith said.

"Yeah, I think you're right. I'll do that. Thanks you guys. All of you." I said and turned heading for the door.

"Where are you going?" Merlin said.

I looked over my shoulder, "To find out the truth." and I walked out the door into a world that I didn't remember, but somehow knew.

Chapter 21 ~Selphie~

Where did Kairi go? I wonder where she is.

I know that ever since Sora and Riku came back from...wherever they were, we haven't been hanging out together, but you think she would say something if she was going somewhere.

She's been with Sora and Riku everyday since they returned. And now Tidus tells me that those two left **again,** without her. **Again!**

Poor, poor Kairi. Left by them again. I wonder how she's feeling, without Sora by her side. Oh, I can just imagine how she's feeling right now. She must desperately miss him, and want to be with him.

"...Wow. I wish I had a boyfriend like that. One that cares for you, and protects you, and _loves_you, and...and...oh, what am I doing? Dreaming about having a boyfriend. I'll never get a boyfriend. I'm stuck with these bozos on this island. Oh, and look...there comming over now."

"Hey Selphie, what's up." Tidus said with a smile.

"The sky." I said sarcastically.

"Gosh, sorry to bug you while you were...what are you doing?" He had a puzzled look on his face like he couldn't figure out how I was feeling. _Men. They don't know how to understand our feelings._

I didn't answer him.

"Oh, I know what she was doing...she was daydreaming about her make-believe boyfriend." Wakka said with a chuckle.

"Shut up!" I said, more defensively than I had intended. "Leave me alone, I can daydream if I want to. So **Buzz off!**

"Okay, okay. Sorry miss bossy bee, We'll leave you and Mr. Make-believe alone." Wakka said, him and Tidus laughing as they turned and walked away.

"Good one Wakka." Tidus said as they walked away into the distance.

_See, this is what I have to live with._

Chapter 22 ~Kairi~

I didn't know exactly where I was planning to go, but I left nonetheless. I wanted to stay at Merlin's house and hear all about Sora's adventure and the time that he had spent here in Radiant Garden, but I felt that it just wasn't my place. I mean, I was a complete stranger to them. I didn't want to be a bother.

So, I continued walking. I ended up somewhere that looked like a marketplace, but there was one thing missing...people.

Where had they all gone, was it closed today. I wonder...

Then suddenly I felt that there was something wrong. There was a reason why there weren't any people, and I had just discovered why everyone had gone.

Heartless.

Chapter 23 ~Riku~

I couldn't believe what The King and Master Yen Sid had just told Sora, a while ago. That he may not return home, and that there's another person's Heart inside of his. And that when they are separated, one of their Hearts could be destroyed in the process.

The thing that bugs me is that he knows that he could die, and he accepted it and said "Well if that's what happens let it be." I didn't think that it was Sora back there. I can't believe he is willing to accept fate like that so suddenly.

What about Kairi? What would happen if Sora was to die? He promised her that he was going to return home...both of us did.

I hope that Sora will survive in the end. For Kairi's sake.

_Sora, you have to make it through this last journey, you just have to._

Chapter 24 ~Kairi~

I didn't know what to do. I was so scared. There were maybe a hundred Heartless, surrounding me. I had no weapon. Or so I thought...

I crouched to the ground, waiting for them to cover me, but suddenly there was a bright light, and all of the Heartless went flying backward, away from me.

I looked down and saw a Keyblade in my hands. A Keyblade? I had only used one once, in The Castle That Never Was when I saved Sora. It was the same one. But...how? I didn't understand why I was able to use it, but I didn't care.

I fought the Heartless, destroying every single one. I did it, I actually did it. I destroyed them, by myself. I wasn't useless after all. I could wield a Keyblade; just like Sora and Riku.

I could have gone with them all along. I _**could**_ defend myself, I _**could**_ fight. I _**could**_take care of myself.

_And I will._

Chapter 25 ~Tidus~

As me and Wakka walked away, I wondered...why was she so irritable today? I wondered if we had gone to far, teasing her like that. I hope she knew that we were only kidding, we weren't trying to be mean, It just kinda came out that way.

Anyway...Where _is_Kairi? I know that Sora and Riku left for some reason that I don't know, but Kairi was supposed to stay here with us.

_Where did she go?_

Chapter 26 ~Kairi~

I wonder why I could use the Keyblade is there a specific reason that I can use it? I wonder...

Oh forget it. I don't need to worry about this right at the moment. I need to find out how to off of this world, obviously there is nothing for me to learn about myself here.

_"There's a way for you to be able to transport to another world."_There was that voice again. Who was it?

"Please tell me." I sounded a bit desperate.

_"When you are through searching for clues in a particular world, go through the Corridor that will appear before you."_

"But how will it appear, how will the Corridor know when I am through?"

_"When you are through with a world, summon it with your Heart, and it will appear."_

"Alright." As I said this I turned around and did as I was told. I concentrated for a moment.

_I am done here, please let me move on to the next world._

Chapter 27 ~Sora~

I knew what might happen to me, and I knew that my promise to Kairi could involuntarily be broken by fate.

Suddenly I felt a flood of emotions over me...

_I felt...sadness, lonliness, helplessness, important, lost, and doomed._


	3. Chapters 28 through 37

Chapter 28 ~Kairi~

Suddenly a Corridor of not darkness, but _light_ appeared before me, it didn't seem sinister as the one made of darkness had. It seemed inviting, calling me to enter. And so I did.

It was warm inside the Corridor of light, it was extremely bright, but not in a blinding sort of way. It just felt comfortable.

Chapter 29 ~Kairi~

I walked only a short distance, and was already into the next world.

It seemed rather peculiar. I was in a large room, where everything was way to small to be used.

There was a little table and chair, The walls had a weird design on the bottom, and towards the ceiling the pattern turned into a checkerboard of light pink and purple. The floor was checkered as well, accept that the color was a different shade of pink and purple, a bit darker.

On the wall to the left of me there was a small, brick fireplace with a stone chimney coming out the top. A water faucet coming out of the wall. It looked as if you could turn this room upside down, and you wouldn't know that you were upside down.

_Where was I?_

Chapter 30 ~Sora~

We had just left Wonderland and now we were heading towards Olympus Collisuem. We searched and searched in Wonderland, but there was no sign of Terra, Aqua and Ven.

But...I have a theory about where he is. If he is sleeping, then why would he be in some random world. There's a place that only seems logical for him to be sleeping peacefully. The only problem is getting there. We can't just go to whatever world we want to when we want to. It's kind of a random thing.

I think that I'm right about this. but the truth is, I don't want to find him just yet. I don't know what will happen if I do.

_Kairi, I miss you._

Chapter 31 ~Kairi~

Everything was so small, I looked for a way out but just couldn't find one. The door was the only way out, but I was much too big to fit through.

"Great, now what am I going to do, everything is just too small!" I stomped my foot on the ground and the whole room shook.

"Can't a doorknob get some sleep, geez what's all the racket?" I looked down and saw that the doorknob on the door, was talking to me. It was the strangest thing that I had ever seen, but I was in another world, so I wasn't surprized.

"I'm so very sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's alright, you didn't see me down here."

"How am I supposed to get out of here everything is too small."

"No my dear, you're simply just too big."

"Excuse me?"

"See that bottle on the table, drink it to get smaller, then you can fit through the door."

So I went to the table, and found the tiny bottle, I looked at the label it said "Drink me" and so I did.

I suddenly shrunk. The bottle was larger than me now. Everything was huge. I may have drunk too much.

"There you go, now you can fit through the door."

"Oh, uh...thank you Mr. Doorknob." I thought that I should be polite considering I had just met this strange being.

Then I turned and walked through the door.

Chapter 32 ~Kairi~

I seemed to be in some sort of maze, everything looked the same. The pathways were simply made of grass, and the walls were hedges, they were so tall I couldn't see over them.

_Great, I'm going to get lost in this maze._

"You're not from around here are you girly?" I had no idea where this voice came from but it was different from the one that had helped me get here.

"Who's there?"

"Me."

I turned around to see a cat appear out of nowhere, he was pink and purple and had a huge grin on his face.

"And who would that be?" I asked.

"I am none other than the Cheshire Cat." He smiled again, wider this time then continued. "And who might you be?"

"Oh...I'm Kairi. I'm looking for clues to find out who I really am."

"Kairi...Kairi..." He sounded as if he was trying to remember where he had heard it before. "Ah yes, Kairi. I remember those boys talking about you."

"Two boys? Was it Sora and Riku?" I had extreme excitement in my voice.

"I believe so, but you just missed them. They already left. And I don't suggest you stay here much longer, unless you wouldn't like to keep your head on your shoulders. See, the Queen in a rather bad mood today, anything could upset her."

"Thank you." I said, "Then I'll be leaving now, since there is nothing for me to learn here."

"You're welcome." He said, and then disappeared into thin air.

_Maybe I can see Sora and Riku soon, I hope that I can catch up to them. Please let me catch up with them. I can go along with them._

I summoned the Corridor and stepped out of the strange world.

Chapter 33 ~Sora~

There appeared to be nothing here to find in Olympus Coliseum, but we stayed a bit after searching to do some training with Phil.

Then Hades started acting up again, trying to destroy Herc, nothing new.

So now me and Riku are in the Underworld trying to stop him.

_He doesn't stand a chance against the two of us._

Chapter 34 ~Kairi~

It seemed that I stepped out of the light and right into the darkness. I was in an incredibly dark place. I could see still, but just barely. I seemed to be in some kind of underground place judging on that the walls were made of rock.

I didn't know where I was or where to go, so I just started walking.

Chapter 35 ~Sora~

We had just beaten Hades, and he gave up, for now.

Riku and I were finished there and were beginning to walk out, so that we could leave for the next world but then...

_Kairi?..._

Chapter 36 ~King Mickey~

Gosh, I hope Riku and Sora are doing alright. I wonder how Sora is taking the news. He must feel awful. Riku told me privately that Sora had promised Kairi that they would return to her safely, and now...we aren't so sure of that.

_I believe in you Sora...Riku. Don't let me down._

Chapter 37 ~Sora~

Were my eyes decieving me, was that really Kairi? Or was it just my imagination?

I wanted to see her so badly that it hurt. Then suddenly all of the pain in me left and returned as quickly as it came. I had to tell her, I don't know how I would tell her. If it was really her.

It was.

What was she doing here? She was supposed to be on the islands still, I didn't want her to come with us so that she wouldn't get hurt, but she was here, with us.

"Sora!" She yelled, she sounded so happy. She was on the other side of the entrance to the Underworld. She had just gotten here I assumed.

"Kairi." I said with great excitement. "What are you doing here?"

She ran across the cold room and straight into my arms. I embraced her, hugging her like I hadn't seen her in years, when only a couple of days had passed. But, a lot had happened in that short time.

"I wanted an adventure of my own, and I want to know where I came from, who I am. And then the Cheshire Cat told me that you had just left..."

"Wonderland." I finished.

"Right Wonderland. So I left there and I ended up here with you." She hugged me again. "I missed you so much, you have no idea."

"I think I do..." I said, not finishing. I had to tell her, but not right here, in front of Riku. "Kairi...there's something that I need to tell you." I paused and freed myself from her embrace. "Riku can we talk alone for a while?"

"Sure, sure. I'll leave you two love birds alone to talk." he said as sarcastic as ever, but then he seemed to catch on to what I wanted to talk about, then his expression changed. "Oh, right." then he walked through the door leading to the colisuem.

Now was my time to tell her, she needed to know. But where to begin?

_It hurts to think that I could lose her so easily._


	4. Chapters 38 through 40

Chapter 38 ~Sora~

"Kairi, remember I promised you that I would return home safely? I meant it, but...now..." I didn't think I could finish my sentence, but I did, "I might not return home to the islands...to you." I said these words with the greatest sorrow, my voice has ever known.

I was trying hard to fight tears, but gave in. I cried; I couldn't help it.

"What do you mean Sora? What do you mean you might not be able to come back?" She looked at me with extreme confusion and worry.

"I might not survive this journey Kairi..." I wiped the tears from my face trying not to be too emotional, I didn't want to make it seem hopeless, even though it probabley was. I might as well start at the beginning.

"You might want to sit down for this." We sat on the ground right there, me holding her hand, I looked in her eyes and told her what was going on.

"A long time ago, before you came to the islands, I felt that someone out there in one of the worlds was hurting. So I reached out to help them. It was a boy's Heart, he was about the age that I am now. His Heart was fractured, it was no longer complete, and could not remain in his body. So I let his Heart merge with mine so I could end his suffering. Iwas only four years old at the time. His name, I know now, is Ventus. And he is sleeping somewhere out in one of these worlds. That's one of the reasons why me and Riku are on this journey."

"So...what does that have to do with the fact that you might not survive this?"

"Well...even though Ven's Heart is sleeping within mine, his sadness remains. We are looking for his friends as well, Aqua and Terra. But once Ven's body is found, I have to release his Heart from mine, to end his sadness." I paused, then continued, "And when I free his Heart from mine...my Heart could be fractured in the process, because our Hearts have been together for amlost all of my life. The separation could do many things to my Heart. It could either be left intact, fractured, or even shattered."

Now Kairi was crying, clinging to me like a scared child. I knew that she was scared, and so was I.

"Then...then...don't do it. Just don't go. Just come home with me, you and Riku. Please, I couldn't bear it if you died." She was crying so much, there was a small puddle of her tears on the floor where we sat. I hugged her tightly, I never wanted to let go.

"I can't, I have to go. It's my duty, the worlds need me...they need me. I hope you understand Kairi."

"I know you have to, but...if you might not come back, then I'm going with you." She seemed so confident, but I wasn't going to say yes. If I wasn't going to survive, I didn't want her to watch me die.

"No Kairi, you can't come with us, you'll get hurt."

"No I won't, I can take care of myself, I can fight. Sora, I can use a Keyblade you know. I've already used it to protect myself, please let me go. I won't be in your way."

She really wanted to come with me, and I wanted her to so badly, but I just couldn't.

"No, Kairi, you can't come along. I'm sorry."

Chapter 39 ~Kairi~

I don't know why he wouldn't let me come along, I wouldn't be in the way, I may actually be of some use to him.

"I'm sorry, Kairi." he kissed me, like he never had before, I cried and so did he, this was going to be the last time that I may ever see him, he's most likely going to die. I'd be all alone.

I felt the loneliness creeping up on me, I didn't want it to return, but it was too late.

The hugged me, I felt lost in his embrace. But then he let go of me, he looked me in the eyes, he had tears streaming off of his face, I could tell that he was trying to control his emotions, but it wasn't working very well.

"Goodbye Kairi, I'm so sorry...I love you."

Suddenly, I could see the Corridor of light behind me, it shone like little sun in the dark room we were in.

"No, no...I'm not ready to leave yet, Sora!" I was being pulled into the Corridor, I hadn't summoned it."

It seemed like Sora knew that it was going to happen. What he had said indicated that this was his last goodbye.

_"You are ready to leave this world, you must stay no longer."_

It was that voice again.

Chapter 40 ~Kairi~

Then Suddenly Sora was gone, and that was it, I may never see him again, he might die and I wouldn't know it.

Why must he make me wait like this? What am I supposed to do while I wait...should I continue my journey, or should I just go home.

I want to know who I am, but I don't think that I can do this.

I know! I will try to catch up with Sora and Riku, I'll try my best to find them, and if I discover who I am, then I will have completed my goal, but if I don't I don't care. Sora is more important to me right now than anything else.


	5. Chapters 41 through 53

Chapter 41 ~Riku~

I wondered of he was done talking to her, poor Kairi...poor Sora, I wonder if he was going to let her come along with us, I doubt it. I wouldn't want the person that I love to watch me die, that would hurt me more than just losing them. It would be like a permanent memory of seeing her face in my last moments. I couldn't bear that. I don't think that Sora could either.

Well guess I should find out what happened. I left the collisuem and went through the enterance to the Underworld. That's when I saw him, Sora was on the ground, crying. I didn't see Kairi anywhere, where did she go? He must have gotten her to leave. I felt so sorry for them.

I ran over to Sora, he looked as if he was going to pass out. I've never seen him so vunerable, so weak. He had to get it together, for everyone's sake.

"Sora, are you okay, where's Kairi?" I put a hand on this shoulder and knelt on the ground next to him. I would cheer him up as best as I could.

"No." I already knew he would say that, "Kairi's gone, she went to the next world."

"She left just like that?"

"No, I opened the Corridor for her somehow, she was forced to go, but I sort of wanted her to." The tears streamed down his face, I never thought I would see Sora cry, I mean he did when he was little, but not like this.

"You told her everything didn't you."

"Yeah, she was sad, she wanted to come with us, and I wanted her to, but..." he couldn't finish so I did.

"You didn't want her to see you die did you?" He looked up at me, he seemed so helpless and there wasn't much that I could do to help him now.

"No, I didn't want her to see me die, I don't know what might happen to me, I didn't want to hurt her more than I had to."

"I understand, I'm sorry that it has to be this way Sora."

"There's nothing that can be done about it, I have to save Ven, no matter what the cost, I wouldn't be me without him, I owe him everything, and if I die saving him...then there's nothing I can do about it. This is terrible, I have something to live for now, something I want to protect, someone that I love. And now, I might lose it all."

There was a great sorrow in his voice, it was killing him to say this, but I knew that he needed to let out his feelings.

"I know, I'm sorry that it might have to end like this." I said.

"I hope that this wasn't the last time that I see her...the last time she sees me."

"Let's hope not."

_I sure hope not._

Chapter 42 ~Kairi~

_No!_

I can't believe this, why must it be like this. Why must we be apart all the time, now it might be for forever.

Where am I anyway? I looked around, I seemed to be somewhere in a marketplace, in the desert. I must be in another world. I wonder if Sora and Riku are here too. I doubt it, they probably figured that I would try to follow them, so they probably weren't here. But maybe they were.

"Come back here! You won't get away that easily!"

I turned around to see a man chasing after a little monkey with an apple in his hands. The man appeared to be a guard considering that he had a sword in his hand. The monkey had a little red vest on, and a purple and red fez on his head.

I wondered if he had stolen that apple from one of the peddlers in the marketplace. There were dozens of booths open with peddlers selling their goods. Then I saw the agrivated peddler who was selling the apples.

The monkey was running all over the place, then he ran and hid behind me. The guard just stared at me.

"Is that **your** monkey?" It almost sounded like he knew the answer to that question, he obviously thought that it **was** my pet even thought it wasn't.

"No sir, he's not mine."

"Uh-huh." he said sarcastically.

"Abu! How many times have I told you not to do that. Gee, there's no teaching you."

I turned around to see a tall boy with black hair, he had a purple vest on and baggy white pants with a small yellow patch sewn on the right knee to cover a tear that had been there.

"Sorry about that sir, here you go," he took the apple from the monkey and handed it to the guard, "no hard feelings?"

"Fine Aladdin, just don't let this happen again." He turned from the boy to face me. " So sorry to bother you miss. Street-rats these days." he said and turned and walked away.

"Sorry about that, Abu doesn't listen to me. Sorry for almost getting you in trouble." he said.

"Oh, that's okay, don't worry about it." I smiled, assuring him that I wasn't upset.

"Anyway, I'm Aladdin. What's your name?"

"My name is Kairi. I'm not from here."

"I kinda figured that, are you from a different world?"

"Yes, actually, I'm looking for my two friends, have you seen them? Their names are Sora and Riku."

"Sora, I know Sora!"

"You do? Were they here earlier?"

"Yes actually, you just missed them, they just left."

"Oh..."

Great they're not here. Well, if they're not here, there's no point in staying.

"I'm trying to catch up to them, I'd better go. Sorry to leave so soon."

"Oh, that's alright, I understand. Nice meeting you. See ya."

"Good bye." I waved good bye to Aladdin, I turned and began to walk away.

I summoned the corridor, and left for the next world.

Chapter 43 ~Sora~

I felt so helpless, I may never see Kairi again. How could I just let her go like that? I thought that I was protecting her, but...now I think that it may have been best to let her come along. If I died, maybe it would give her closure, maybe it would be better than her waiting...not knowing.

I've made my decision, I want her to come along, but now she is gone, so where do I look for her?

Maybe...we follow the same order of worlds when we travel through them. But then I'll have to figure out if she is one world behind, or ahead of us. Now me and Riku just left Agrabah, we are on our way to Atlantica next.

Surely she isn't there already. If she is though, I'm sure that Scuttle would know about it.

There's only one way to find out.

Chapter 44 ~Kairi~

I seemed to be in a strange world, where was I? Under water?

I looked down to see that my legs were gone, in their place was a pink fin, like a mermaid's tail.

I was a mermaid!

I couldn't believe this. I had no idea how many **different** worlds there were out there, I thought there were other worlds but it seems that anything really **is** possible.

I tried to swim but I ended up no making any progress at all. I always wanted to be a mermaid when I was little on the islands, but I never thought of how hard it would be to swim once I was a mermaid.

"Are you from another world?"

I turned around to see a little yellow fish with blue stripes on his belly; his fins and tail were blue as well, with a darker shade of blue stripes on them.

"Um...how do you know that?" I replied.

"Well, I've never seen you around here before, and...you don't swim very well."

"Yeah, I'm kind of new to this mermaid thing."

"I see that...here let me show you how to swim!"

"Alright...I'm Kairi by the way."

"Nice to meet ya, I'm Flounder!"

He swam up behind me and nudged me with his fin, telling me to watch him.

The lesson began, he started to teach me how to swim. This was going to take some time.

Chapter 45 ~Riku~

"Ha ha. Riku you look ridiculous as a merman!" Sora said laughing.

"Shut up! You look stupid too."

"No I don't!"

He wouldn't stop laughing, and yes, I did look ridiculous like this. At least he was smiling, he hasn't smiled much this whole journey, It seems like making fun of me is his way of forgeting about all of the things that were bothering him. So if this is his way of keeping his mind off of his destiny, so be it.

"Okay Fish-boy, let's look for Terra, Aqua and Ven."

"I don't think that they would be here."

"Why do you say that?"

"Well I know Ven isn't here anyway. He wouldn't be sleeping in a place like this. He would be in a place where rarely no one ventures, a place where he could sleep in peace, undisturbed..."

"Castle Oblivion." I said.

"Exactly! If he is anywhere in the worlds he would most likely be there."

"Problem is getting there."

"I know, this is going to take a while, so we should just look for Terra and Aqua for a while."

I don't know why but Sora seemed so smart now, I mean he never had a history of being the sharpest tool in the shed, but now...

"Do you have any idea where they might be?" I asked.

"Well...Terra's body was taken over by Xehanort, so his Heart must be residing in Xehanort. Remember The King said that he was most likely to return. If we defeat him, that's how we save him. As for Aqua...she was trapped in the realm of darkness when she saved Terra from being swallowed. So now..."

"She must still be there, wandering the realm of darkness still."

"Right. We should split up then, I'll look for Ven and you look for Terra."

"Are you sure you want to go alone?"

"Yeah, I think it would be best. I hope this isn't goodbye Riku, but if it is then..."

"It won't be. Try to think positive. Remember, you told me that after we defeated Xemnas. This won't be goodbye... Good luck Sora."

"You too Riku."

Now we have a plan, we know where they would be and what we had to do.

_Now we just have to make it work._

Chapter 46 ~Kairi~

Swimming with a mermaid's tail is easy once you get the hang of it. I thanked Flounder for teaching me how to swim and began my search.

I looked everywhere for Sora and Riku, but I didn't find them. I wasn't going to give up on looking for them.

Time to move on.

Chapter 47 ~Kairi~

Now I don't think I'm even in a world, all I can see is darkness. I must have made it to the Realm of Darkness.

I could barely see where I was walking everything was so dark. Well I'm in the Ream of Darkness, of course it's going to be dark.

Chapter 48 ~Aqua~

I wonder how long I've been here, wandering the darkness. Has it been minutes, days, weeks, or years. I don't know anymore. I miss my home...my friends. Why did everything go so wrong. Now the three of us have been torn apart by fate. I hope that we can all be together someday. I don't know how to get out of here. There's no way out of this darkness.

But...I can feel a light. It feels so familiar, so warm. It is as if this ever cold darkness just got warmer. I wonder where this light was coming from.

Chapter 49 ~Kairi~

I kept walking until I found what appeared to be an ocean. I wonder if this is that same ocean that Sora told me he and Riku had been before they returned home.

I looked closer and saw there was a girl sitting on the beach, she looked so lonely.  
>I thought that I should just leave her alone, but she seemed so familiar, like I already knew her.<p>

I sat beside her on the beach and just stared at the calm waves rolling onto the shore, several feet away from touching us.

"Are you stuck here too?" she asked.

"I don't know, I've been looking for my friends and I was brought here next."

She looked at me now, not even alarmed that there was a total stranger next to her.

"I wonder how long it's been, since I ended up here." Her mind seemed to be somewhere else, and not here. She continued, "Oh, I'm sorry, I'm Aqua."

Aqua...Sora said that she was one of the people he and Riku were supposed to be looking for. Well I found her, and I was going to get her out of here.

"I'm Kairi."

"Kairi...I remember you!"

"You do...?"

"Wow, have I really been here that long. The last time that I saw you, you were a little girl."

"You knew me when I was small. How old do you think that I was then?"

"About four why?"

"I can't remember anything about where I came from. The first thing that I can remember is waking up on Destiny Islands. This is why I left home, I wanted to find out who I really was, and where I came from."

"Well...I only know a little bit about you, Kairi. You lived, and was born in Radiant Garden, you lived there with your grandmother. I met you when I was on my journey, I put a protective charm on your necklace, so that it would protect you when you were in danger. That's really all I know about you...sorry."

"No, it's okay. Thank you. I couldn't remember anything, now I know where I came from, now all I need to know is how I ended up on Destiny Islands.

_I came from Radiant Garden? The firts world that I visited when I left the islands? I can't believe it!_

Chapter 50 ~Kairi~

_"I think I can help you with that."_

"What was that?" Aqua said looking for the source of the voice.

"I'm not sure, but I'm here now because of it."

The voice sounded so familiar, but I couldn't put my finger on it.

I tried and tried to remember, then I realized to whom the voice belonged to...

Ansem.

Chapter 51 ~Kairi~

The voice was Ansem I should have known it all along.

Wait...when I heard his voice, it was inside of my head. How come Aqua could hear it then?

I realized too late, Ansem was here...

"Ansem, what are you doing here, Sora defeated you." I said.

_"Yes, he defeated my Heartless, and he defeated Xemnas, my Nobody. However, he didn't know that once they were both defeated that I would be able to regenerate myself now that both halves of me were joined together in darkness. So please...call me by my real name, Xehanort."_

Chapter 52 ~Aqua~

Xehanort...

I can never forgive him for what he has done to Terra and Ven. We were torn apart because of him.

I couldn't bear to look at him, he still had the body of Terra. Where had Terra's Heart gone? Was it still trapped in his body?

Chapter 53 ~Kairi~

"What do you mean you can help? You can tell me how I ended up on Destiny Islands?" I asked ignoring the fact that he was the enemy.

"Yes, well...exactly how you ended up on Destiny Islands is a mystery to me, but I do know how you left Radiant Garden." He smirked, "I did a lot of experimenting you see, I wanted to know how the Heart worked. I was curious. I had learned about the Princesses of Heart, and that they had the power to open the door to Kingdom Hearts. I began my search for a girl that had a pure Heart. Then I found you Kairi. I didn't know if you posessed the power of one of the princesses, but it was an experiment. I sent you off to the oceans of other worlds. I thought that you would lead me to the place where the one holding the key was, and you did."

"By 'key' do you mean Sora?"

"Precisely."

"So that's how I was taken from my home." It all made sense now, "But...why Destiny Islands."

"I think that I can answer that." I turned around to see Aqua behind me, "That charm that I put on your necklace, I don't think you remember what I told you."

But strangely I did...

"I do remember...'One day when you're in trouble, the light within you will lead you to the light of another, somone to keep you safe.'".

"Yes, that's right. It lead you to Sora."

Now all of the mysteries of my life, were solved in a matter of minutes. Everything made sense now, I now know who I am, where I came from, and how I got to the islands.


	6. Chapters 54 through 64

Chapter 54 ~Kairi~

I had expected him to leave after that, but I guess everything is not what it seems.

I was ready to fight him, and it appeared that Aqua was too.

We began our battle. But...

He was too strong.

Chapter 55 ~Riku~

With me and Sora going our separate ways, I began looking for Terra. But... who was going to look for Aqua.

But just as the thought had crossed through my mind, I just answered my own question. I ended up in the realm of darkness, and I found Aqua. And she was fighting Ansem, or was it Xehanort?

It looked like she needed help, he was way too strong for her. I went to help ther but then I saw that Kairi was here.

She was lying on the ground, unconsious. I rushed over to her to see if she was alright, she was luckily. She woke up in my arms.

"Ri...Riku...I tried to...to fight him, but...he...he's...to strong." She could barely speak, having a hard time getting out the words she wanted to say.

"It's going to be alright Kairi, I'll help Aqua. You just stay here and rest."

She nodded, saying no more. I gently set her down on the ground and sat he up against the giant rock that was behind her.

I got up, and went to assist Aqua.

So, the battle began.

Chapter 56 ~Sora~

Now I knew where I needed to go, problem was getting there.

I hope Riku and Kairi were alright. I wasn't used to traveling alone. I always had someone, a friend by my side to help me out. But now...there was no one.

I need to get to Castle Oblivion as soon as possible. I've already been to Halloween Town, Radiant Garden (Pooh's storybook to be exact.), and Twilight town. But no Castle Oblivion, but the truth is...I kind of don't want to go to Castle Oblivion.

Chapter 57 ~Sora~

I left Twilight Town, but I didn't go to another world, I ended up somewhere different, but familiar.

It was the realm of darkness.

I wonder if I would come across Aqua. She should be here somewhere.

Then I saw them, Aqua and Riku. I guess he ended up here too. But why?

Then I saw that they were fighting Xehanort, he was so powerful.

"Need some help?" I asked Riku.

"No, just take care of Kairi." He replied.

"Kairi?" I turned and then I saw here, she was half sitting half laying against a gaint rock. "Kairi!" I repeated, this time it was not a question.

I ran to her, what had happened, why was she here? "What happened Kairi, are you alright?"

"Y...Yes...I'm alright." she could barely speak, she was hurt pretty badly. "I tried...to help Aqua, sh...she couldn't fight him a...alone so...so I fought...but...but...he was too strong." This is what I was afraid of, her getting hurt.

"It's going to be alright, Riku and Aqua can handle this." I hugged her and she started crying. I knew exactly why. It was a mixture happiness, because I was with her now; and sadness, because I still might die. "It's alright..." I tried to comfort her, "I'm here, It's going to be alright. I'm still here, I always will be...right here with you."

She said no more, I just sat there with her, arms around her as she quietly cried. I was terrible at cheering people up, but I guess I wasn't today.

I watched her for a minute, I wanted to cry along with her, but...I knew that I had to be strong for the both of us. Then I watched Riku and Aqua battle with Xehanort.

For a moment, I thought that they might actually lose to Xehanort, but man was I proved wrong.

Chapter 58 ~Kairi~

Sora...Sora was here...with me. It made my pain from the battle disappear, but it brought along this new pain, one that was worse than the one from Xehanort.

Riku and Aqua had defeated Xehanort, this time for good, I hope.

I could barely walk, Sora carried me to the Gummiship that he had come here with. Riku went in a separate Gummiship and took Aqua along with him. He said that he was going to take her to Radiant Garden, where she would be safe. Then they left.

Once Sora and I were inside the Gummiship he set me down, on a little bed, behind where the main controls were.

"Rest here, Kairi." I still felt out of it, I felt dizzy. Luckily I wasn't going to walking for a while. Sora kissed my forehead, and sat down next to me on the floor, holding my hand. Chip and Dale were going to fly the Gummiship so he could stay here with me.

I liked it...him beside me. It felt so...so...right. Like this is how it was supposed to be.

"Do...does this mean...that I...I can...come with...you?" My voice still wasn't all there. It had been nearly and hour after I had gotten hurt, you think that I should be able to speak by now.

"Yes." He said this in a calm, soothing voice that I seldom ever heard. I smiled, trying to answer him so that I didn't have to speak again...

_good._

Chapter 59 ~Sora~

We we approching the next world, I wondered what it could possibly be...

_No..._

It was the last world that I wanted to go to now. It was...it was... Castle Oblivion.

Chapter 60 ~Sora~

I looked to see if Kairi noticed where we were headed next, I didn't want her to. But luckily she fell asleep, she must have been tired from her battle with Xehanort.

I should have been there...to protect her. This is my fault...if only...if only I just let her come with me. She wouldn't have had to fight Xehanort, and she wouldn't have gotten hurt.

Now, I had to free Ven from my Heart. This is something that I do not want to do, but I...I...I just have to.

I don't want Kairi to watch me die if my Heart does shatter, but it may be better this way.

Then we were here, we had arrived... _Castle Oblivion_

Chapter 61 ~Kairi~

I must have fallen asleep. Sora was still there beside me, holding my hand. How long had I been asleep. Not long, I assumed, however we had arrived to the next world. I wondered which one.

"Where are we Sora?" It looked like he was about to answer, but he didn't. "Sora?"

"Castle Oblivion." He said, with such sorrow in his voice. It took me a moment to understand his tone of voice.

"Is this where..."I didn't get to finish, he finished for me.

"Ven is." He said in the same tone of voice.

"It's going to be alright." I said, "I know it will." I sounded so confident. I hoped that it was true, that it **would** be alright.

Chapter 62 ~Wakka~

Man, where are those three. I thought that they would come back like the next day, not in a week. It's been like **five** days already, I think.

It's no fun without them here, no offense to Selphie and Tidus, but **seriously** man. What am I supposed to do now?

_I'm so bored._

Chapter 63 ~Sora~

We were inside Castle Oblivion now. We had to look for Ven, but where would he be? There were hundreds of rooms in this castle and he was in one of them, but which one?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
>After about an hour and a half of wandering the hallways and floors of the castle we still couldn't find the room.<p>

This castle is like a maze, and we were lost.

Chapter 64 ~Kairi~

We were lost, I had no idea where we were. I'd never been here before, neither had Sora, at least I think. He never said that he had been here before, but it seemed like he had; like he recognized it, but didn't remember being here.

"We're never going to find him at this rate." I said, "I wish that there was a map or something.

_Ventus is in the Chamber of Waking._ I heard this voice in my head. I knew exactly who it was...

_Namine?_


	7. Chapters 65 through 71

Chapter 65 ~Namine~

Kairi heard me, good. I know that they are lost and in a way are relieved that it's taking so long to find Ventus.

I hope that Roxas will be alright.

I just had to tell them where to go, the sooner they find him the sooner this will be all over.

_I believe in them._

Chapter 66 ~Kairi~

_Namine?_ I said to her without speaking aloud. _Where is the Chamber of Waking?_

_Go down the next hallway then turn left, it should be in that corridor._

_Thanks Namine._

_Sure._ Then her voice was gone, she said no more after that.

"Sora I know where to go now! Follow me." I took his hand and ran in down the hallway, following Namine's directions.

"How do you know where to go?" he asked in confusion.

"Namine told me, come on."

Then we were there, the Chamber of Waking. At I thought so.

I still held Sora's hand he took my other hand in his and looked me in the eyes.

"Kairi..." he began, "this is it. I hope that it isn't the end though, but... if it is I want you to know how much I love you. I love you so much I couldn't begin to explain. You mean everthing to me, nothing is more important to me than you. I...I love you Kairi." He hugged me, then let go and then kissed me.

This would have been when tears would have been streaming from my eyes, but I just couldn't cry anymore, I had cried so much in the past few days and think I ran out of tears.

Then we opened the door and walked inside to face our destiny.

Chapter 67 ~Sora~

Sure enough there he was, Ventus.

He was sitting, comatose, in a large, white chair. This wasn't surprising considering that everything in Castle Oblivion is white. But the walls were very peculiar, they had some sort of symbol in various places on the wall. At the bottom of each symbol there was a shining chain which seemed embeded in the wall. Each of these chains lead to the chair in which Ventus was sleeping.

This was it, I didn't know what to do, how to free him, so I guess I'm just going to have to guess here.

Chapter 68 ~Kairi~

There he was, in his ageless slumber. He looked just like Roxas, I wonder why that is. Maybe it was because Sora and Ven's Heart had become one and so his Nobody chose the form of Ven. They look exactly identical.

Sora walked up to him until he was maybe ten feet away from the chair he was in. I stood back, giving him some space, I knew this wasn't easy for him. It wasn't easy for me either. I was standing by the door maybe twenty or twenty-five feet from Sora.

Even thought I couldn't see his face, I could tell that he was scared and reluctant...and I felt the same way.

Chapter 69 ~Riku~

Aqua is safe now. I took her to the castle, I figured that it would be a good place for her to live considering that her home is gone now. I left and was going to go join Sora and Kairi but...

Xehanort came back.

I thought that it was going to be over, I thought that it was the end of him, but...now what do I do? I guess I just have to fight him again, and win.

I figured that Terra was still trapped inside there somewhere, his Heart anyway. I needed to save all of him. Not just his Heart and not just his body, it had to be both.

So the battle began...

Chapter 70 ~Sora~

Now is the time...the time to free Ventus from his slumber.

I didn't know if it would work but it was worth a try. I wanted to turn back and look at Kairi one last time, but I just couldn't. I didn't want to see the look on her face.

I summoned my Keyblade. I took it then and pierced my chest, unlocking my Heart like I had once before.

My Heart was freed from my body, as well as Ventus' Heart. His returned into his body, but mine, it just hovered above me as I began falling to the ground.

Without my Heart in my chest I felt so...so...cold.

Chapter 71 ~Kairi~

Ventus' Heart was free, and so was Sora's.

His Heart hovered above him, he began to fall backwards. I ran to him as fast as I could, just in time to catch him before he hit the floor. I held him in my arms, I sat on the ground and layed him on my lap. I held his head up with my hand.

"K...Ka...Kai..ri...I...I'm so...so...rry." he could barely speak. I had never seen him so weak, he was always so strong, but now he seemed so fragile that I was afriad of moving him anymore.

"Oh no you don't," I said, "don't say your goodbyes, not yet."

"Kai...ri...I..." he began but couldn't finish.

Then Ven appeared to be waking up. He moved a bit, he was alright. I wish I could say the same thing for Sora. Just then Sora's Heart returned into his body. I think his Heart couldn't return unless Ven's did safely.

I could tell that his Heart was severely fractured, luckily it hadn't shattered. Sora was beginning to slip in and out of consciousness. "Stay with me Sora, please don't close your eyes, look at me, it's going to be alright." I said to him frantically. I couldn't lose him, not now.

"I...I...can...'t hold on...any...anymore K...Kairi. I...I'm s...so...rry." his voice was barely a whisper now.

He looked up at me, his brilliant blue eyes looked vacant, and then...he closed his eyes.


	8. Chapters 72 through 83

Chapter 72 ~Ventus~

I've been so accustomed to sleeping here, in this castle, in Sora's Heart. But now I was free...awake.

As I woke from my long slumber I looked up to see a girl sitting on the floor, she was crying. Then I saw Sora, she was holding him in her arms.

It was Kairi. I remembered her from his memories. I'd seen throught his eyes for years. I don't know why I didn't recognize her at once.

"Ventus?" she said, looking up at me. Then I realized where I was, I was sitting in a giant white chair in the middle of a white room.

"Y..yes?" I answered my voice a little shaky.

"Thank goodness you're alright." She said, she sounded sad, tired.

I got up from the chair, it felt so awkward walking because I hadn't in so long. I walked up to her. "Is he alive?" I asked.

"Yes, barely. He's still breathing but..." she didn't finish, I could imagine how painful this was for her, to see the one she loved suffer like this. It was hard for me too, I mean, Sora let me into his Heart when mine had no place to go. He saved me, and now I think that it's time to return the favor.

"Then we need to get him out of here." She didn't say anything she just nodded, I helped her up. "How exactly do we get out of here?" I asked. I was sure that they had different means of transpertation, it had been years since the last time that I traveled to different worlds, so technology must be more advanced now.

"We have a Gummiship, we can possibly get to Radiant Garden now. We can find help there." I picked up Sora, he was not as heavy as I thought he would be. Kairi pointed the way and I followed, carrying Sora in my arms.

I felt so...so...bad. It was all my fault that this happened to Sora. He knew that this could have happened, but he did it anyway. I didn't even personally know him, and he never met me, but he was still willing to risk his Heart to free mine.

Chapter 73 ~Sora~

Darkness...I was falling into darkness. Just like I had before. I wasn't forgetting anything like I had the last time this happened.

I couldn't feel anything then, just nothingness. Now, all I felt was emptiness, and the pain of my fractured Heart.

Falling...falling endlessly. I didn't think that it would ever stop. My chest felt like it was burning, the pain was unbearable.

I wonder if this is how Ventus had felt.

Chapter 74 ~Riku~

Xehanort...Terra...

Xehanort is gone now. He has been defeated. As for Terra, he has been spared.

Luckily Terra seems to be alright, he seemed damaged by what he had been through all these years.

I don't blame him. He has been in the dark for so long, and now...he has been able to escape into the light.

He was safe now, with friends, he is free.

Chapter 75 ~Kairi~

We finally made it to the Gummiship. I ran onboard to tell Chip and Dale what had happened and that we needed to get to Radiant Garden as soon as possible.

Luckily since they had already been to that world, they can go back as they please. Unfortunately it would take some time, up to an hour before getting there.

I hope Sora can hold on that long. He didn't move at all, he was asleep. I was glad, he was resting. He really scared me, I thought that I was going to lose him. But...there is still a chance that I might.

I layed Sora down on the bed where I had lay only a few hours before. He looked so beautiful, when he slept. He looked peaceful, despite the pain he must be feeling right now. I held his hand in mine. I refused to leave him no matter what.

Ventus sat in one of the chairs near the controls. He sat there silent, there really wasn't anything to talk about. This must be really awkward for him. He had never met me or Sora. Yet...somehow, the seemed to know us.

Chapter 76 ~Kairi~

Half an hour had passed and we still weren't there yet. I grew impatient.

I wonder how Sora was doing. I know he must be hurting so much on the inside. I wonder how bad his Heart has been fractured. We were lucky that it didn't shatter. I am so grateful for that. But...now he was suffering, and there was nothing I could do to help. I place my free hand on his chest, where his Heart was...

His chest was so warm. It was a good sign again.

"It's going to be alright. Your going to be alright. Please, please...just hang on a little longer."

Chapter 77 ~Ventus~

I wonder how Sora is doing. I can't tell if he is hurting inside, but he must be. If what happened to his Heart is anything like what happened to mine, he must be in a lot of pain.

If his Heart is fractured though, how will it be mended? How can it be whole again?

Chapter 78 ~Kairi~

Sora was still asleep, we were almost there. He was still breathing and his Heart was still beating, it was a good sign. I was so relieved.

Suddenly, I felt him squeeze my hand. It was so weak, so delicate, that I almost didn't feel it. He was waking up, also a good sign. Then his bright blue eyes opened slowly, then closed again. "K...Kairi." he said.

"Shhh." I told him gently, "don't talk you need to rest."

"It...it hurts so...much." His voice sounded weak, like he could barely get the words to come out of his mouth.

"I know..." I said, still in my gentle tone, "we're almost to Radiant Garden. Hang on a little longer."

"I..I'll try," he said. He tensed up, wincing in pain."Hey. W...where's Ven? Is...is he al...right?"

"Yes," I replied, "he's alright thanks to you, he's here." He tried to sit up a bit, but I gently pushed him back down on the bed. "It's okay. Just relax and try not to move so much."

"Alright." he said, as he closed his eyes again.

A few more minutes passed and there we were, Radiant Garden.

Chapter 79 ~Riku~

With Aqua and Terra found that just left Ventus, unless Sora and Kairi had already found him. Then our mission would be done and we could go home.

I hope that Sora was okay. I hope that he doesn't die. There has to be a way that Sora and Ventus can coexist together. By now they might have actually found him.

Aqua, Terra, and I went outside the castle where I had brought them. We were in the main square. Then that's when I saw it...Sora's Gummiship.

Chapter 80 ~Aimi~

Visitors.

There were visitors outside the castle. They didn't look like they were from around here. We hadn't had visitors here since who knows how long. It would be nice to have someone else to talk to. And don't get me wrong, I love hanging out with my friends; but...talking to someone new would be nice for a change.

Me and my friends have lived a long time in the castle here in Radiant Garden. We never had any other place to go. We had lost our families, and only had each other. The three of us were more than friends now...we were family.

It was just the three of us living in a giant castle. Alone. Me, my friend Kurai and my friend Kaname. We had been friends since we were born. But it wasn't always just the three of us, there was a fourth. And what happened to her, and where she went remains a mystery. It's been more than ten years since anyone of us has seen her, she was only five when she disappeared. I miss her, I don't know why but...I can't even remember her name.

I walked outside along with Kurai and Kaname to greet the travelers.

Chapter 81 ~Sora~

I had been falling in darkness for so long it seemed. Endlessly falling into a world of nothing. It was so...so...cold.

But...then I had felt a sudden rush of warmth. A light that broke through the darkness that was swallowing me. It was so bright, but not blinding.

It was Kairi.

Once again, she saved me from the darkness, she protected me, brought me back.

That was when I woke up, to find her warm hand over my Heart. Had she known that she had just saved me by doing so?

Chapter 82 ~Kairi~

Ventus carried Sora out of the Gummiship. I walked ahead of them, to find someone who could help us. But then I saw Riku.

"What are you guys doing here?" he asked. But then he saw Ven and Sora. "What happened? Is he alright?" he was worried now.

"He's okay for now, but we need to get him some help. Luckily his Heart didn't shatter, but it was fractured pretty badly."

"Alright, well I was about to go to the castle, Aqua and Terra are there now. It didn't look as if anyone was in the castle so they just went inside. They are safe now, and so is Ven so that means our mission is over."

"Yes, but we can't go home yet."

"I know." he said. We began walking to the castle when a few girls came out of the main entrance to the castle. Conviniently we arrived near the castle. If we hadn't Sora might not have made it.

The three girls looked totally different. I had assumed that they were friends and not siblings.

The one standing in the middle was about my height, with long flowing brown hair with a black headband. She wore a strapless royal blue dress with a periwinkle sash, below the sash the dress below the sash the dress split into two pieces of fabric, one overlapping the other with another strip of fabric on the edge of the overlapping piece; the color was the same as the sash. She wore simple black flats and had a black choker around her neck with a pink Heart charm on it.

As for the girl on her left, she seemed shy, unconfident unlike the others. She had light brown hair streaked with blonde, it was about the length of mine. She wore a dress somewhat similar to the girl in the middle but, instead her dress was off-white with a sky blue sash. She too wore black flats but her choker was black with a red sleigh bell charm on it.

The third girl, didn't look as if she wanted to be here, she looked like someone you didn't want to mess with. She had long, black hair that fell just above her waist. Her dress was the same excepting the colors. Her dress was black with a red sash. She too had the same shoes as the others her choker was also black with a white rose charm on it.

"Welcome to Radiant Garden!" said the one in the middle. "Nice to meet you. I'm Aimi!" she said excitedly. Then she gestured to the shy girl "This is my sister Kaname," then she gestured to the bored one, "and this is Kurai."

"Hi," I began sort of surprised at her enthusiastic tone, "I'm Kairi, and this is Riku, and Ventus, and Sora." I pointed to each of them. She looked surprised when she saw Sora in Ven's arms. "My friend is hurt, his Heart if fractured, I don't know how much longer he can last. Can you please help him?"

"Y...yes, of course. Here, come on inside." she said. She turned and walked into the castle and we followed. She led us down long hallways and up several flights of stairs.

"Hey, Riku." said Kaname , "You're kind of cute." she finished shyly.

"What are talking about? You think that he's cute?" Kurai said in a teasing sort of voice, "He is not cute...he is HOT!" she said enthusiastically, "Anyways he's mine, you can't have him." she said in an assertive tone, she crossed her arms over her chest.

"But…" she started to say, "fine." she sounded upset. She gave in so easily, she didn't even try to argue with Kurai. I wonder why.

Kurai brushed past Kaname and walked over to Riku, grabbing his arm and clinging to it as if she was a scared child. I looked at Riku; he looked very uncomfortable, like he didn't know if he should say something to her or to pry her off of him.

"Kurai!" snapped Aimi, "Get off of him will ya? Look," she said pointing to his face, "you're scaring him. Show some manners."

"Fine." she said defiantly, "Whatever, Mom." she let go of Riku and crossed her arms over her chest once again. By now Kaname had retreated behind Aimi, like she was too embarrassed to be seen.

"I'm so sorry, Riku. Please excuse my sister, she just lets her feelings take her over sometimes. and forgets her manners."

"Uh…it's okay." he said, seeming to still be shocked. I could tell that he was creeped out still.

Poor Riku.

Chapter 83 ~Aimi~

Kurai was being so rude. She is so immature sometimes. What did she want to do, scare our guests away? But, I knew that they wouldn't leave.

Their friend was severely injured, and it wasn't a physical injury, oh, it was much worse than that. This injury had to do with the Heart, and you don't mess around when it comes to the Heart.

I was surprised that he was still alive. I could sense that his Heart was so close to shattering, if anything more happens to it, it will be completely destroyed. But as I was talking to Kairi, who by the way told me everything that happened, and I mean **everything**.

So it looks to me that when Sora freed Ventus, his Heart couldn't take the separation, it was too big of a change all at once. His Heart had been accustomed to having his Heart there with his, but when it was suddenly removed, Sora's Heart couldn't take it. It should have shattered…but it didn't. I could sense that Kairi has no darkness in her Heart whatsoever, and that's what I think saved him. She was right there when it happened, and she immediately rushed to him as soon as he released Ventus. The light of her own Heart must have repaired it enough to stay in one piece. If she wasn't there, he would have died. Then she told me that he woke up after she put her hand on his chest, over his Heart. So…I figured out a way that we can repair his Heart.

My theory is that if Kairi's loving, pure Heart was enough to save Sora, and wake him up, then a few more Hearts should heal Sora's. It may take some time, but I think it will work, no…it will work.

It may sound strange that I know so much about the workings of the Heart, but if you grew up with me, you'd know that my knowledge is what makes me, well…me.

I owe a lot of my knowledge to the grandmother of the girl who disappeared. She taught me a lot about all of the worlds out there, and the light and darkness that made up every one of us.

Then, when we moved here, to this castle I found a room that looked like some kind of infirmary. It was also where I was leading them to take their friend. In that room, I found tons, and I mean **tons** of files and reports on the Heart, and Heartless and also Nobodies.

I studied every single one of them. I wanted to learn everything that I could. I had hoped that one day it would be useful, that it would come in handy.

I also knew things about the Heart before anyone taught me about it. I just knew; when I was really small. I don't know how, but I just do.

I let them to the infirmary. I'm guessing that whoever used it before used it for experiments. In the infirmary there was a door that led to a room that looked like a scientist's lab. So I had assumed that was what it was used for. This is where I found all of the reports and research on the Heart, the Heartless, and the Nobodies.

We were almost there; the infirmary was just at the end of the long hallway we were walking down. I looked at Sora; he looked so helpless, so…beautiful. He appeared to be in so much pain, but…of course he was in pain, anyone could see that.

I really liked him, I thought that he was gorgeous, but…I know that he could never be mine, he has someone else already, someone he cares for deeply I'm sure. I haven't talked to him, but…I can just tell. I would love to make him love me like he loves Kairi, but…I…I just can't, I can't do that. I won't take him away from her. I couldn't live with myself if I did that.

So…I guess for now, I will just admire him from a distance.


End file.
